E-Safety
At St Thomas Aquinas we are continually teaching our students about digital and online safety to help them become knowledgeable digital citizens. Each week we will be posting online safety tips to help parents and families build your knowledge and open discussion with your children at home.
If your child experiences something harmful online such as cyberbullying, image-based abuse or illegal and restricted content, you can report it directly to the social media service, game, app or website where the incident occurred.
Often young people will need the support of an adult to report. The eSafety Commissioner (eSafety.gov.au) advises taking the following steps:
- Collect evidence before reporting to the platform or taking other action. If the issue is ongoing, make sure you collect screenshots showing what has been happening and for how long.
- Report to the platform where it happened. Use The eSafety Guide to help you. After you report, the service may remove the content straight away. They may also block those responsible or delete their account. If the post involves something illegal like grooming, they may refer it to law enforcement or another agency to take further action.
- If the platform does not take action, you or your child can report it to eSafety. eSafety will ask you to complete an online reporting form and include evidence.
